Not sure if a traditional, large wedding is for you? Or, are you needing to adjust your wedding plans due to COVID-19 precautions? Micro weddings are definitely in, and there are lots of awesome ways to make these kinds of weddings gorgeous and romantic. If you’re thinking about having a small wedding, you should definitely consider these top 10 micro wedding ideas!

What is a micro wedding?

Many people wonder, “What is a micro wedding, actually?” A micro wedding is essentially a small wedding with less than 50 guests. Some micro weddings have as few as 2-5 guests, while others have closer to 50 people in attendance. Either way, the smaller size of these kinds of weddings makes them very intimate and unique without breaking the bank. Plus, micro weddings are especially smart if you’re wanting to get married while COVID-19 restrictions are in place. 

Top micro wedding ideas

Whether you’ve always wanted a smaller wedding or are rearranging your plans because of COVID-19, there are micro wedding ideas that will help ensure that your day is special and memorable. We promise! As an Austin wedding photographer team that has been in the business for a long time, we’ve photographed our fair share of micro weddings. Here are our top micro wedding ideas to inspire you as you plan your wedding…

#1 - Elopement + reception

For micro weddings, we love the idea of having an elopement ceremony and a micro reception. You get all of the peacefulness and intimacy of eloping, while also still getting to celebrate afterward with your closest family and friends. It’s honestly the best of both worlds! If you can’t decide between an elopement or a larger wedding, this micro wedding option may be the perfect way to meet in the middle. 

#2 - Family-style tables

Another one of our favorite micro wedding ideas is to use long, family-style tables at your reception, and maybe even your ceremony! Since micro weddings are smaller in size, it doesn’t really make sense to separate your guests into groups of five to eight people like you would at a larger wedding reception. Instead, family-style tables create a more friendly, community atmosphere that makes everyone feel at home and ready to celebrate. 

To make things extra easy for yourself, you can even have guests sit at these tables right when they arrive for the wedding ceremony. Then, you won’t even have to worry about transitioning from a ceremony to a reception setting!

#3 - Follow traditions that are important to you

When planning a wedding, there can be a lot of pressure to follow wedding traditions that have become the norm over the years. However, one of the best things about a micro wedding is that there is less of an obligation to follow these traditional wedding norms. Rather, you get to really focus on making your wedding day look and feel exactly how you want it to be. Since a micro wedding is, by nature, already a bit different than a typical, large American wedding, there’s a bit more freedom to make it unique in other ways, too. We recommend that you follow only the traditions that you really love and want to incorporate on your wedding day. 

Are there quirky, unique elements you want to bring into your wedding day but aren’t sure if you should? Our advice: go for it! The more you make your big day represent your personality and relationship, the more special it will be!

#4 - Lawn games

One of the most fun micro wedding ideas we’ve heard of is having lawn games set up at your wedding reception. Bocce ball, horse shoes, life size Jenga, and more...any of these would be a hit at a micro wedding reception! With a more limited guest list, lawn games are great because they will liven up your reception party. Plus, everyone can participate! You don’t have to worry about anyone being left out of the games since it’s a smaller group setting. 

#5 - Personalize wedding favors - personal letters, etc.

As Austin-based wedding photographers, we love the intimate feel of micro weddings. You get to really celebrate with the people that mean the most to you, versus getting caught up in the chaos of pulling off a large wedding. At micro weddings, we love seeing how couples often give their guests personalized wedding favors. Whether it’s a personalized letter, monogrammed glass, or some other one-of-a-kind favor for each guest, any sort of personal touch is sure to make your guests feel loved and appreciated!

#6 - Food trucks!

Not sure how to handle food for your reception? Here’s one of the most genius micro wedding ideas: hire a food truck! You may not want to worry about hiring a full-on catering service for your smaller wedding. That’s valid! A great alternative is to hire a food truck to provide food for your reception. Food truck restaurants often offer excellent food at a very reasonable price, so they’re a perfect fit for a micro wedding. Plus, the small size of a micro wedding means the food truck team will have all of your food orders out in no time!

#7 - Take a group photo

Since everyone at your micro wedding is someone who is near and dear to you, it may not make sense for you to spend a ton of time with your wedding photographer taking portraits with your bridal party. Instead, work with your photographer to see if you can make time to take some fun group photos with everyone at your wedding. This kind of photo definitely couldn’t be done at a larger wedding, but it’s totally doable at a micro wedding! It will be so worth it to have a beautiful group photo with everyone who loves you and supports your marriage for years to come. 

Make sure you work with a wedding photographer who is experienced with micro weddings, so they can give you all of the best photos that really capture the essence of your day! 

#8 - Choose safe seating

COVID-19 precautions require social distancing to keep people safe. One of the best seating arrangements that allow for social distancing while also looking cute is a round setup. For a round ceremony setup, the bride and groom will stand in the center of a circular seating arrangement. Micro weddings are the perfect size for round seating setups. Since there aren’t too many people in attendance, everyone still has a good view of the bride and groom as they say, “I do”. 

#9 - Unique wedding decor

One of the most exciting micro wedding ideas is buying unique, one-of-a-kind wedding decor. Save yourself from excessive rental fees for things like cutlery, seating and tables, and table linens. 

Since you likely won’t have to decorate a super large space and provide seating and plating arrangements for tons of people, it is easier to get creative with the spaces you are decorating. For example, you could buy various sorts of vintage chairs and rugs from thrift stores to use at your reception tables and ceremony seating area. You could also collect mismatched glass jars to use as cups. Your options are endless! Plus, after your wedding, you can re-sell these items and/or keep the ones you really love for yourself. Your bank account will love this option!

#10 - Non-traditional wedding venues

Large weddings are typically constrained by size limitations. After all, a wedding venue has to be able to hold all of the guests who will be attending the wedding! When you have a micro wedding, size constraints aren’t really an issue. This gives you all the freedom to choose a non-traditional wedding venue that wouldn’t normally work for a larger event. Consider renting out your favorite restaurant or bar or a penthouse suite with a cool balcony. You could even host your wedding in your backyard! As you plan your micro wedding, make sure you consider all types of venue options, even ones that wouldn’t normally be considered wedding venue material. You never know what will actually work perfectly for your needs.

Use these micro wedding ideas to plan your dream wedding

Even if your wedding is smaller in size, that doesn’t mean your celebrating needs to be small or minimal. It’s the opposite: since you’ll be celebrating with only those closest to you, the celebration will feel even more emotive and exciting!

So, are you ready to plan your micro wedding? Just remember that these micro wedding ideas really come down to one thing: get creative and keep an open mind as you plan the wedding you want. Use these ideas to find what feels like the best fit for you. There are no right or wrong choices! If you plan a wedding that meets your specific vision, dreams, and passions, it won’t disappoint!

Considering a micro wedding and looking for a photographer to capture your intimate day? Let's chat!

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